Animated barber pole



March 4, 1969 H. D. SHAFFER ANIMATED BARBER POLE Sheet of 2 Filed Nov. 14, 1966 INVENTOR Herman D. Shaffer ATTORNEY March 4, 1969 4 H. D. SHAFFER 3,430,373

ANIMATED BARBER POLE Filed Nov. 14, 1966 Sheet 2 of 2 INVENTOR Herman D. Shaffer BY Mam ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,430,373 ANIMATED BARBER POLE Herman D. ShalIer, 2404 N. Fitzhugh, Dallas, Tex. 75204 Filed Nov. 14, 1966, Ser. No. 593,857 US. Cl. 40-126 Int. Cl. G09f 19/12, 11/02 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention is concerned with a display device for attracting attention of passersby and is particularly concerned with a so-called Barber Pole which has rotatably mounted therein a spirally striped flat twisted strip of material which when rotated on its longitudinal axis will simulate the progressive movement of the spiral stripes upwardly on the twisted strip.

The flat spiralled strip of material is reinforced and flexibly mounted in such a way as to provide a secure, strong, yet flexible mounting. It provides an unusually attractive customer attracting display device which is simple in structure, economical in manufacture and wherein the spiralled rotary device mounted therein may 'be quickly and easily replaced by differently colored or designed spiralled members.

Although the display device is particularly adapted for use as a barber pole it will be understood that it could be employed as an attention attracting device in front of or adjacent to any business establishment.

The device generally consists of -a tubular housing made of transparent material which is closed at each end by removal caps or closure members and having a spiralled strip of metallic, or other suitable, normally flexible material disengagably attached at its ends adjacent the closure members. One end of the flat spiralled members is attached to the closure member by a swivel connection whereby the spiral member may rotate and the other end of the spiral member is flexibly attached to the shaft of an electric motor mounted inside the end closure member to the housing.

The flat spiral member is creased and folded in accordion fashion longitudinally thereof by forming successive transverse creases therein so as to provide an accordion effect, whereby that when the accordion pleated member is only partially stretched out and secured at opposite ends to the swivel connection and to the motor shaft and is spirally twisted about the longitudinal axis, the accordion pleats therein will strengthen and rigidify the normally flat sheet material so that it will not have a tendency to wave and flutter as it is rotated. Continuous spiral stripes are provided thereabout to give the desired effect.

The accordion pleated thin metal sheet member may be quickly and easily removed for substitution of another such sheet member of different color or design.

Devices of the type herein indicated have heretofore consisted of a spiral strip which was unreinforced and unstrengthened so that it had a tendency to flutter and wave as it rotated, thereby destroying the effect thereof.

In the present device the flat strip is accordion pleated and only partially stretched out before it is spiralled to thereby impart the effect of rigidity thereto, yet imparts the desired function of multiple reflective surfaces, inex- 'ice pensiveness in manufacture and the ability to quickly replace the rotary element therein and exchange same for another element of different design or color.

It is therefore a primary object of the invention to provide a display device having a rotary spiralled sheet member therein which is reinforced and strengthened to prevent same from fluttering, which may be easily and quickly replaced and which is flexibly mounted at each end thereof.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent upon reading the detailed specification herein after following and by referring to the drawings annexed hereto.

In the drawings:

FIGURE I is a side elevational view of the display device,

FIGURE II is a cross sectional elevational view taken on the line IIII of FIGURE I,

FIGURE III is a horizontal sectional View taken on the line III-III of FIGURE II,

FIGURE IV is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line IVIV of FIGURE II,

FIGURE V is a vertical sectional view taken on the line V-V of FIGURE II showing the typical construction of one of the clamps employed to attach the spiralled rotater member at the upper and lower ends thereof.

FIGURE VI is a perspective view of the rotater member which has been partially accordion pleated to illustrate the manner in which it is formed.

FIGURE VII is a fragmentary side elevational view of the rotater member after it has been accordion pleated and before it is spirally twisted,

FIGURE VIII is a sectional view taken on the line VIIIVIII of FIGURE VII.

Numeral references are employed to indicate the various parts shown in the drawings and like numerals indicate like parts through the various figures of the drawmgs.

The numeral 1 indicates the tubular housing which is made of transparent material such as transparent plastic or glass.

An upper mounting collar 2 extends about the upper end of the housing 1 and is secured thereto by screws 3.

An end cap 4 which may be made of metal or other suitable material has an annular flange 5 thereon which overlaps the outer end of the mounting collar 2 and is secured thereto by screws 6.

A lamp socket 7 is attached in the upper end of the end cap 4 by means of suitable screws 7a.

An electric light bulb 8 is threadedly engaged in the socket 7, and is provided with electric power through the power cord 9.

The bulb 8 provides illumination within the housing 1.

The lower closure head 10 has a reduced end portion 10a thereon which slides into the lower end of the lower mounting collar 11 and is secured thereto by means of screws 12. The upper end of the lower mounting collar 11 overlaps the lower end of the transparent housing 1 and is secured thereto by screws 13.

A motor bracket mounting ring 14 is disposed inside the lower end of the transparent housing 1 and is secured thereto by the screws 13 threadedly extending through passages provided therein.

A motor mounting bracket 15 has free ends which extend into the ring 14 and are secured thereto by the screws 13.

A motor support bracket 17 is secured by bolts and nuts 18 to the motor mounting bracket 15. The upper transverse portion thereof has a recess 17a formed therein which extends about the upper portion of the motor 19 and is secured to the motor by means of screws 17b.

An electric power supply cable 20 supplies power to the electric motor 19 and extends through a suitable passage provided through the lower closure assembly, between the wall mounting bracket 41 and through a hole 41a provided through the Wall or other member to which the device is secured. The power cable 9 likewise extends through the wall of the upper closure assembly, downwardly behind the wall mounting bracket 41 and outwardly through the passage 41a. The wall bracket is attached to the upper and lower end closures of the housing by bolts 41b, and is secured to the wall 42 or other support 42 by screws 43.

The rotatable shaft 21 of the motor 19 has a ring 22 hingedly attached to the upper end thereof by extending the ring through a hole in the upper end of the shaft 21.

The ring 22 likewise extends through aligned holes in the wings 23a and 23b of the spring clamp 23 so that said ring is hingedly attached between the spring clamp 23 and the shaft 21.

The spring clamp 23 includes a circular spring 24 having opposed free outer ends to which the ends of the wings 23a and 23b are secured, providing clamping jaws 25 between which the end of the spiralled rotater member 33 may be clamped as hereinafter described.

A mounting bar 26 is secured across the upper end cap 4 and the ends thereof are secured to the upper end cap 4 by means of the bolts and nuts 27.

An upper spring clamp 28, which is constructed exactly as the lower spring clamp 23 is rotatably attached with relation to the mounting bar 26 by means of a swivel connector 30 having an eye 31 on the upper end thereof which is hingedly attached to a loop 29 formed centrally of the mounting bar 26.

An eye 32 is provided on the lower end of the swivel connector 30 which loosely passes through opposed holes provided in the ends of the Wings on the spring clamp 28. Thereby the spring clamp 28 is permitted to rotate on a vertical axis with relation to the mounting bar 26.

The rotater member 33 is preferably made of relatively thin, flexible sheet metal, such as aluminum, as indicated at 36, and after being pleated in the manner hereinafter described it is twisted spirally about the longitudinal axis to provide a uniform spiral as shown in FIG- URE H, and indicated generally at 33.

The rotater member 33 is formed as illustrated in FIGURE VI. The relatively thin metallic sheet member 36 is progressively creased and folded longitudinally thereof in the manner shown in FIGURE VI, thereby forming accordion pleats longitudinally thereof so that when it is partially stretched out there are provided transverse creases 7 longitudinally thereof. Thereby when the rotater member 33 is twisted spirally about the longitudinal axis thereof the creases 37 provide strength and rigidity to the rotater member to prevent same from fluttering and waving from side to side as it rotates.

The rotater member 33 may have imprinted thereon diagonal alternate stripes, such as red stripes 38 and white stripes 39, so that when the accordion pleated sheet 36 is twisted spirally about its longitudinal axis, as shown in FIGURE II, the alternate diagonal stripes 38 and 39 will simulate continuous spiral stripes which appear to continuously move upward in the housing 1 as the rotater 33 rotates.

Of course the metal sheet 36 could be imprinted or painted any color, or could have any design desired thereon in order to attract attention when rotated in the housing 1.

As hereinbefore stated it is particularly adapted for use as a barber pole, but is generally usable as an animated display device for attracting the attention of passersby.

The sheet 36 should be of sufficient length that when accordion folded as shown at 40 and stretched out and spirally twisted and connected between the spring clamps 23 and 28 the accordion pleats will not be entirely stretched out straight but will still remain partially folded as shown in FIGURE VIII to provide the successive creases 37 therein. This assures that the rotater member will have sufficient strength and rigidity to prevent fluttering and waving as it rotates and will at the same time provide a uniform attractive appearance when light is reflected from the surface thereof.

The operation and function of the device hereinbefore described is as follows:

When the motor 19 is energized the rotater member 33 is rotated about its longitudinal axis, being rotated on the swivel 30. The hinged connections between the motor 19 and the spring clamp 23 and the swivel 30 and spring clamp 28 permit sufficient sidewise movement of the ends thereof to prevent undue strain and tearing of the ends of the rotater 33. The light bulb '8 provides sufficient light for illumination and reflection of light from the surface of the rotater 33 as it rotates.

When it is desired to change the rotater member 33 'for any purpose the end closures 4 and 10 may be removed by removing the screws attaching the same to the housingl and a diiferent rotater 33 may be attached in spiral position between the spring clamps 23 and 28.

It will be understood that other and further forms of the invention may be devised and still remain within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a display device; a housing including a transparent tubular portion; a rotatable member comprised of an initially flat sheet of flexible material spirally twisted about the longitudinal axis thereof and rotatably mounted in the housing so as to extend longitudinally and centrally of the transparent tubular portion; means for rotatably attaching the rotatable member to the housing at one end thereof including a disengageable spring clamp; and means attached to the housing and being attachable to the other end of the rotatable member for rotating same including a spring clamp.

2. The combination called for in claim 1 wherein the rotatable member is comprised of an initially flat sheet of flexible material which is accordion pleated, is partially expanded and spirally twisted about the longitudinal axis thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,099,879 6/1914 Hutchings 40-77 X 1,526,707 2/1925 Jefferson n 40-126 2,199,308 4/ 1940 Evans 40-77 X 2,888,761 6/1959 Miller 40-11 X 3,031,784 5/1962 Stein 40-128 3,340,634 9/1967 Frois 40-39 FOREIGN PATENTS 482,811 4/ 1938 Great Britian.

EUGENE R. CAPOZEO, Primary Examiner RICHARD CARTER, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. C1.X.R. 40--77, 139 

